The Shadowed Path

10. Reine-1

10

Reine

I made a quick call to room service, then returned to Kestrel's room. She stood behind one of the two, large, wingback chairs that faced away from the windows and gazed down to the street below. I squeezed around the other chair, upon which Sir Raleigh had curled up, to join her and followed her gaze. John and Ellerin faced each other on the sidewalk. We were too high up and the window glass too thick and enchanted for me to hear them, but from their gestures and postures, I could tell they argued.

I groaned. "What is it with those two?"

Kestrel shook her head. "Why are they even out there? I thought you were going to be my dad when you came in."

"I, ah, asked Ellerin to keep your dad busy for a few minutes. This wasn't what I meant." Perhaps it had been a bad idea to send Ellerin after John considering John's mood when he’d left my room. If he didn't trust me, he definitely wasn't going to trust Ellerin, not even to grab a drink. Hades, I'd half-hoped they could…what? Bond? At least come to some sort of understanding.

"Why?" Kestrel turned toward me, and the tightness around her eyes showed her fatigue. "I'm ready for sleep. It's been a weird day." She yawned and rubbed her eyes with her right index finger and thumb. "Weird week."

"Come on." I led her around the chair she'd been standing by and sat in the one opposite. The tree behind each of us brightened its lights, but not overly much.

Sir Raleigh gave her an annoyed look but jumped down before she plopped on the other chair.

Kestrel yawned. "This is comfy. I could sleep right here."

"Not before you do some homework." I placed the wrapped journals side-by-side on the table between us. Sir Raleigh stood on his hind legs and batted at the corner of one. I shooed him away. "Pick one."

She leaned over the side of the chair and looked at them. "What are they?"

"You'll see. Just choose one."

"All right." She picked up the one on the left. "Can I open it?"

"Yes."

She squinted at the brown paper, which I now saw had a watermark. "It's from Aria's shop."

"Yes, she helped me."

Kestrel raised her eyebrows but didn't ask more. I guessed she knew her friend enough not to question the actions of a powerful witch. I still pondered some of the things she'd said to me when I’d gone to buy the journals.

Kestrel didn't tear the paper open, but instead un-taped and unfolded the corners, slowly revealing the red and gold diamond pattern on the journal inside. She folded the paper once she'd removed it. "I know this is silly, but I don't want to let go of something from home."

"I understand." How long had I held on to my wand from Faerie even though it turned out to be weakening me? I doubted the paper would do something so nefarious to her.

"So… A journal. What do you want me to do with it?"

"Record your impressions of Faerie, what stood out most to you. Definitely your magical experiences like with the glow. It will be good information for High Court Physician Caduceus."

"His name is really Caduceus? Like the snakes around the pole medical symbol thingy?"

"Some things cross worlds." I smiled and handed her a pen. "Now start writing. Oh, and dessert is on the way. You can go to bed after you do your homework and eat something. I suspect your father won't be long."

"What's in the other one?"

"Another journal." I stood and picked up the wrapped parcel.

"What's it for? My dad?"

"No…" I looked down at it. "It's for me." I touched the paper and made it disappear, having it reappear folded with Kestrel's on the table. I looked down at the blue journal, the moon and stars embossed in silver on it and reflecting in a lake. When I'd picked it out, the scene had been beautiful, but now the lake appeared to harbor something deadly. With a shiver, I wondered what Rhys was up to. I attempted to halt my brain before it went in the direction of Lawrence's activities at the moment, but without success. I hoped he was at his house with a glass of good wine trying to distract himself from all the weird stuff that had happened. That I had dragged him into.

"It's beautiful."

"Do you like this one better?"

She wrinkled her nose. "No. It's lovely, but it's cold. And there's something about the lake…"

"I feel it, too. Perhaps I'll go downstairs and write in it and see what comes up. By the way, these are bespelled so only you and I can read them. I'll unlock yours for Caduceus when it's time. Even if I'm not there, you can still read it to him if necessary."

"Why wouldn't you be there?"

I looked down at the journal's cover, and it again gave me a sense of foreboding. "I'm not sure, but it's not a bad idea to be prepared for anything, even the worst."